1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dehumidifiers, especially dehumidifiers suitable for use with flexible envelopes containing flammable gases and air. Such flexible envelopes are disposed around aircraft when they are being stored.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Prior art dehumidifiers have disclosed structures in which parallel, adjacent process and regeneration compartments are employed. A regeneration wheel containing a desiccant is rotatably mounted in the container so that a process portion of the wheel extends into the process compartment and a regeneration portion of the wheel extends into the regeneration compartment. Air to be dehumidified is then circulated through the process side of the compartment, directed through the wheel containing the desiccant, and returned to the structure being dehumidified. On the regeneration side of the prior art devices, a stream of hot air is directed through the desiccant in the wheel to heat it and dry it, thereby removing moisture from the desiccant.
This structure has been found to be unsuitable for dehumidifying structures such as flexible envelopes used in storing aircraft. These flexible envelopes usually contain flammable gases from the aircraft being stored, and if the flammable gases are brought into contact with such things as electrical motors, explosions usually ensue. Furthermore, the prior art structures were unsuitable in dehumidifying flexible structures because they were designed for use with rigid structures such as buildings.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a dehumidifier for flexible envelopes which prevents migration of flammable gases from the process side of the compartment to electrical motors and components contained in the regeneration side of the dehumidifier.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a dehumidifier for flexible envelopes with dampers disposed appropriately in the interior of the dehumidifier to avoid static flow problems with the flexible envelope.